Salim is the seventh person to die in Australian custody on Manus. These killings are the ultimate expression of the intention of indefinite detention and racialised punishment. They are the lethal evidence of the system repetitively working as intended. Salim’s death is an intentional act, though not one, as reported by PNG police, by his own hand; it is an intentional act by those who enable and sustain the infrastructure of offshore processing.

The day after Salim’s death, an advocacy organisation reported that the Department had still not formally notified his wife of his death. In response to media inquiries, the Department of Home Affairs issued a response that was only a line long – ‘This is a matter for the PNG Government’. ‘Government sources’, did however provide comments to The Australian, in which they characterised Salim as ‘violent’ a familiar attempt at character assault. A vigil was held for Salim at the West Haus camp as well as in several Australian cities, photos from which can be viewed in this gallery in memory of Salim Kyawning.